Salvatore Sirigu

Personal information
Date of birth	(1987-01-12) 12 January 1987 (age 25)
Place of birth	Nuoro, Italy
Height	1.92 m (6 ft 3 1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club	Paris Saint-Germain
Number	30
Youth career
	Venezia
	Palermo
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2006–2011	Palermo	69	(0)
2007–2008	→ Cremonese (loan)	19	(0)
2008–2009	→ Ancona (loan)	15	(0)
2011–	Paris Saint-Germain	38	(0)
National team‡
2005	Italy U-18	3	(0)
2005	Italy U-19	2	(0)
2007–2009	Italy U-21	3	(0)
2010–	Italy	2	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 May 2012. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 3 September 2010

Salvatore Sirigu (born January 12, 1987 in Nuoro, Sardinia, Italy) is an Italian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and Italy national team.

Club career[link]

Sirigu started his football career with Venezia youth system. On 2005 he joined Palermo and made his debut for the club as a regular in a 2006-07 Coppa Italia match against Sampdoria and a UEFA Cup match against Fenerbahçe.

Palermo loaned him to Serie C1 club Cremonese on July 12, 2007 in order to let him achieve some first team experience.^[1]

He spent the 2008–09 season on loan to Serie B side Ancona,^[2] but only played 15 games with his club, as Ancona managers Francesco Monaco, and later Sandro Salvioni, preferred Brazilian teammate Da Costa over him.

Sirigu successively returned to Palermo as a second-choice keeper, behind new signing Rubinho, for the 2009–10 season. Following a string of unimpressive performances by Rubinho, Palermo coach Walter Zenga, himself a former goalkeeper who was noted for his ability, moved Sirigu in the starting role for the Week 6 game, an away match against Davide Ballardini's Lazio on September 27, 2009. The game, which also represented Sirigu's official debut in the Italian Serie A, ended in a 1-1 draw, with the young goalkeeper being nominated Man of the Match due to his numerous saves throughout the match.^[3] He was subsequently confirmed for the following game, where Sirigu managed to keep a clean sheet in a 2–0 win against Serie A giants Juventus. Since then, Sirigu was regularly featured in the starting lineup and permanently confirmed as first choice keeper, leading the club to send Rubinho out on loan to Livorno later in January.

On 21 October 2009, Palermo announced to have agreed a contract extension with the young goalkeeper; the new contract will expire on June 2014.^[4]

On 28 July 2011, Sirigu signed a four-year contract with French club Paris Saint-Germain^[5][6] for a transfer fee of 3.5M€. In August, his first month at the Parisian club, the shot stopper was named by the club supporters as their third best player of the month after Javier Pastore and Kévin Gameiro, indicating a swift adaptation to his new surroundings. He has quickly seen off competition from fellow new signing Nicolas Douchez to become the number 1 goalkeeper for the ambitious Parisian club, as well as a fan favorite. His name is often chanted during home games by the notoriously demanding Paris Saint-Germain supporters.

International career[link]

On August 21, 2007 he made his debut with the Italy U-21 squad in a friendly match against France. Before making his debut with the Azzurrini, Sirigu had already had international experience at the youth level with the Under-18 and Under-19 teams.^[7]

On February 28, 2010 he received his first call-up for the Italian national team for a friendly game versus Cameroon to be played at Stade Louis II, Monaco, but was not featured on the field during the match.

He was in Lippi's 28-men provisional 2010 FIFA World Cup squad, but was not included in the 23-men final squad.

Upon Cesare Prandelli taking the helm as national coach, Sirigu was named in his first squad for the friendly against the Ivory Coast.^[8] With Buffon and Marchetti injured, Sirigu made his international debut with Italy losing 1-0 to the Ivory Coast, on August 10, 2010.^[9]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Sirigu's profile (from Paris Saint-Germain official website)
• Sirigu's profile (from US Palermo official website)
• Sirigu's profile (from US Cremonese official website)

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Italy squads v t e Italy squad – 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship 1 Consigli 2 Motta 3 Andreolli 4 Criscito 5 Morosini 6 Marzoratti 7 Abate 8 Marchisio 9 Acquafresca 10 Giovinco 11 De Ceglie 12 Sirigu 13 Ranocchia 14 Pisano 15 Bocchetti 16 Candreva 17 Poli 18 Cerci 19 Paloschi 20 Balotelli 21 Cigarini 22 Seculin 23 Dessena Coach: Casiraghi v t e Italy squad – UEFA Euro 2012 1 Buffon (c) 2 Maggio 3 Chiellini 4 Ogbonna 5 Motta 6 Balzaretti 7 Abate 8 Marchisio 9 Balotelli 10 Cassano 11 Di Natale 12 Sirigu 13 Giaccherini 14 De Sanctis 15 Barzagli 16 De Rossi 17 Borini 18 Montolivo 19 Bonucci 20 Giovinco 21 Pirlo 22 Diamanti 23 Nocerino Coach: Prandelli